WEBVTT AND THE@SNOWFALL FORECAST TOTALS, COMING@UP.@P>> AS YOU FIRST LEARNED FROM@40/29 NEWS, FLIGHTS WERE@DIVERTED THIS MORNING, AWAY FROM@NORTHWEST ARKANSAS REGIONAL@AIRPORT.@40/29'S IS JOINING US NOW --@PAIGE PREUSSE IS JOINING US NOW@LIVE TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED.@PREPORTER: THE ISSUE WAS@DISCOVERED AROUND 10:00 THIS@MORNING.@AIRPORT OFFICIALS SAY THEY FOUND@OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM AROUND THE@SAME TIME PASSENGERS DID, WHICH@IS WHY WE SAW SO MANY@CANCELLATIONS AND DIVERSIONS@TODAY.@THE F.A.A. WAS SUPPOSED TO COME@IN AND CONDUCT A FLIGHT CHECK OR@SAFETY PROCEDURE CHECK AND THAT@NEVER HAPPENED.@14 FLIGHTS WERE AFFECTED BY@TODAY'S ERROR.@AND THE F.A.A. SAYS THE AIRPORT@HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT@DID WORK WITH THEM TO GET THINGS@BACK AND RUNNING PROPERLY.@NO FLIGHTS WERE ALLOWED TO LAND@AT XNA UNTIL THOSE CHECKS WERE@COMPLETED.@INSTEAD, THEY WERE DIVERTED TO@OTHER AIRPORTS NEARBY, AT FORT@SMITH, TULSA AND SPRINGFIELD.@THE F.A.A. TELLS ME THEY WERE@SUPPOSED TO CONDUCT TWO FLIGHT@CHECKS ON THE NEW EQUIPMENT.@THE SECOND ONE, SET FOR@DECEMBER, WAS NOT COMPLETED@UNTIL TODAY.@ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT, THE@EQUIPMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN NEEDED@TO DO, SINCE PILOTS USE IT IN@INSTANCES OF LOW VISIBILITY.@WE SPOKE WITH THE AIRPORT@DIRECTOR, WHO SAYS THEY HAD NO@REASON TO THINK THE F.A.A. HAD@NOT COMPLETED THESE TESTS.@P>> IT WAS NO FAULT OF THE@AIRLINES, NOR WAS IT THE FAULT@OF THE AIRPORT.@THIS JUST HAPPENED AND WE'RE@TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF@IT.@PREPORTER: AND THE AIRPORT SAYS@THEY'RE NOW WORKING WITH THE@F.A.A. TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY@WHAT HAPPENED TO AVOID THIS FROM@HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.@PAIGE PREUSSE, 40/29 NEWS.@P>> COMING UP IN JUST A COUPLE OF@MINUTES, OUR DANIEL ARMBRUSTER@WILL TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE@IN DETAIL ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH@XNA'S RUNWAY TODAY.@P>> SOME TRAVELERS BOUND FOR@NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WERE DIVERTED@TO FORT SMITH REGIONAL AIRPORT.@THEY HAD TO DRIVE UP THE HILL TO@GET TO YOUR DESTINATION.@BRETT RAINS TALKED TO SOME OF@THOSE TRAVELERS.@HE'S LIVE TONIGHT WITH THAT.@PREPORTER: AND AMERICAN@AIRLINES -- AN AMERICAN AIRLINES@FROM DALLAS WAS DIVERTED TO HERE@AND FORT SMITH, LEAVING SOME@PEOPLE STUCK AT THIS AIRPORT FOR@MORE THAN THREE HOURS.@P>> JUST SITTING HERE WAITING.@THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A@SHUTTLE.@PREPORTER: SOME OPTED FOR THE@FLOOR.@TRYING TO FIGURE OUT --@P>> HOW AM I GONNA GET HOME, TO@MY OFFICE HERE IN BENTONVILLE?@PREPORTER: MOST PEOPLE RENTED@CARS AND DROVE BUT ABOUT A@HANDFUL OF PEOPLE DECIDED TO@WAIT IT OUT.@THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT@LANDED AROUND 10:00 THIS@MORNING.@BUT THE FREE SHUTTLE DID NOT@ARRIVE UNTIL AFTER 1:00 THIS@AFTERNOON.@AND THE DELAYS AREN'T OVER JUST@YET FOR EVERYONE.@THESE LADIES, BECAUSE FLIGHTS@WERE NOT LEAVING XNA, WELL, THEY@WERE SHUTTLED HERE TO THIS@AIRPORT.@BUT THEY TELL ME THEY'RE@COMFORTABLE AND A LOCAL@RESTAURANT EVEN DELIVERED FOOD.@LIVE IN FORT SMITH, BRETT RAINS,@40/29 NEWS.@P>> THANK YOU.@WELL, FLIGHTS SET TO TAKE OFF@FROM XNA WERE ALSO IMPACTED BY@TODAY'S RUNWAY ISSUE.@KATIE DAVIDSON TALKED TO@TRAVELERS WHO HAD NO CHOICE BUT@TO WAIT IT OUT.@SHE'S JOINING US LIVE AT THE@AIRPORT TONIGHT.@KATIE?@PREPORTER: THE PASSENGERS ARE NOW@FILLING BACK INTO NORTHWEST@ARKANSAS REGIONAL AIRPORT, AFTER@MANY CHOSE TO HEAD HOME AFTER A@MORNING OF DELAYS AND@CANCELLATIONS.@PASSENGERS AT XNA LOOKED@FRUSTRATED AND TIRED AS THEY@WAITED IN LINES AND CALLED@AIRLINES, TRYING TO FIND ANY@AVAILABLE FLIGHT TO THEIR@DESTINATION.@JAMES CRAVEN AND HIS FAMILY ARE@TRYING TO GET BACK TO@WASHINGTON, D.C.@HE TOLD US HE NEEDS TO BE BACK@AT WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.@P>> WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A@FLIGHT OUT TO CONNECT EITHER@THROUGH CHARLOTTE OR DALLAS, SO@WE'RE WAITING ON AMERICAN@AIRLINES TO CALL US BACK TO@CLEAR UP THE RESERVATION STATUS.@PREPORTER: NOW, THE CRAVEN FAMILY@ENDED UP DRIVING TO TULSA,@OKLAHOMA, WHERE THEY WERE@FINALLY ABLE TO GET A FLIGHT@HOME.@MANY OTHER PASSENGERS WEREN'T SO@LUCKY, DEALING WITH A DAY OF@DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS.@LIVE AT XNA, I'M KATIE DAVIDSON,@40/29 NEWS.@P>> OKAY, KATIE.@WELL, THE REASON BEHIND TODAY'S@DELAY IS A COMPLICATED SYSTEM@PILOTS USE TO LAND THE AIRPLANE.@AND THAT SYSTEM WAS NOT ABLE TO@BE USED TODAY.@THAT WAS THE PROBLEM.@40/29'S DANIEL ARMBRUSTER BREAKS@DOWN WHY THIS SYSTEM IS SO@IMPORTANT FOR PILOTS.@P>> ISLES ISLEINSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM IS@KIND OF LIKE G.P.S. FOR YOUR@CAR.@THAT INFORMATION INCLUDES@HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL@GUIDANCE, WHICH PILOTS NEED,@ESPECIALLY ON DAYS LIKE TODAY,@TO LAND, BECAUSE BY LAW, WHEN@VISIBILITY IS BELOW 3500 FEET,@PILOTS MUST USE I.L.S. TO LAND.@TODAY THE CLOUDS ARE SITTING@AROUND 1500 FEET.@DANIEL ARMBRUSTER, 40/29 NEWS.@P>> VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF@EQUIPMENT.@HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO REMEMBER@FROM TODAY'S BREAKING NEWS.@THE FLIGHTS ARE BACK TO NORMAL@NOW AT XNA TONIGHT.@EARLIER, A HANDFUL OF FLIGHT@WERE DIVERTED FROM LANDING AT@NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BECAUSE OF@THE ISSUE WITH THE LANDING@EQUIPMENT ON THE RUNWAYS.@XNA'S AIRPORT DIRECTOR SAYS@THEY'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK INTO

An "instrument approach" is used to help guide pilots down to the runway during landing. Pilots must use the instruments when they cannot safely make a visual landing due to low clouds.

Visibility must be at least 3,500 feet above the ground, but was near 1,500 feet Thursday, Johnson said.

Johnson said the airport is working with the FAA to resolve the issue, but could not offer a timeline as to when it will be corrected.

The FAA sent 40/29 News a statement:

"Recent improvements on the airfield at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport require a flight check to ensure all navigational aids are working correctly. The FAA plans to complete the needed flight check as soon as possible. We recommend all passengers contact their airlines for the latest flight information. The FAA is reviewing approach procedures at NW Regional Arkansas Airport to determine when those approaches can be put back into service."

Several incoming flights were diverted or canceled Thursday morning and afternoon. Diverted flights were sent to airports in Fort Smith, Springfield, Missouri, Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

The woman who took this photo waited at XNA since 7 a.m.

Numerous departing flights were also canceled. Passengers inside XNA reported long lines at the terminals.